While celebrities choose to handle their fame in different ways, certain stars choose philanthropic ways to manage their status and money. Rather than becoming involved in the numerous scandals of Hollywood, certain celebrities work on refugee missions and donate their earned money toward better causes like charities, foundations and organizations. Society must recognize these celebrities for their efforts to create change.
Shia LaBeouf, known for “Even Stevens” and the “Transformer” movies, stands as a prime example of a former Disney star who did not use his money and title appropriately. In 2020, LaBeouf’s ex-partner, Tahliah Barnett filed a lawsuit against him for sexual abuse. LaBeouf’s almost coworker and director, Olivia Wilde, also mentioned not hiring Labeouf due to her need to maintain a safe work environment for her coworkers.
“He has a process that, in some ways, seems to require a combative energy, and I don’t personally believe that is conducive to the best performances. I believe that creating a safe, trusting environment is the best way to get people to do their best work. Ultimately, my responsibility is to the production and to the cast to protect them. That was my job.” Wilde said.
As celebrities similar to LaBeouf become increasingly irrelevant and begin to show their true colors, fans hold a sense of hope for former and current stars of Hollywood today. Known for her iconic roles in “Maleficent” and “Girl, Interrupted,” American actress Angelina Jolie discovered a new-found fame within her role as a humanitarian. Jolie and her now ex-husband Brad Pitt founded the Jolie-Pitt Foundation, which helps aid orphaned and abandoned children around the world and support Cambodia while they develop their communities. Jolie’s efforts did not stop there as she continued to carry out over 60 field missions to spread awareness of poverty issues within the world. Jolie now comes across as equally famous for her charitable actions as much as her acting career.
Unfortunately, various celebrities tend to seem tone-deaf when speaking out or raising awareness on a sensitive subject, such as natural disasters, to their fans. After the wildfires destroyed sections of Maui in August 2023, Dwayne Johnson and Oprah spoke out in an Instagram video urging their fans to donate to a Maui wildfire recovery fund. Although fans appreciated the efforts, other fans called the two out for their lack of involvement towards the fund, only donating five million out of their combined net worth of 3 billion dollars.
“I was kind of shocked when I realized that these millionaires were asking people to donate some of their money. Obviously, it’s great to spread awareness but I do feel like they could have donated a bit more than five million each. I think that some celebrities just don’t know how the things they say will be interpreted, even when they mean to say something for good,” junior Zoe Williams said.
Meanwhile, certain celebrities even aim for accomplishments to better the economy or government. Recently brought back to fame after a hiatus from acting in 2019, Bridget Mendler, now referred to as Dr. Bridget Mendler by her fans on social media, works as the CEO and co-founder of Northwood Space, which aims to expand research and access in space. Known for her role in “Good Luck Charlie,” Mendler skyrocketed her science career after her time at Disney and continues to impress in her new job field, working to better the future of space exploration.
Celebrity involvement not only helps achieve goals for hopeful causes but also spreads awareness to the general public and encourages people to make changes for the better. Witnessing acts of generosity from celebrities such as Jolie and power from Mendler, fans still feel hopeful that future celebrities will use their fame and money for beneficial reasons to support causes within the world.
